Dear Wendi Mc-C: How Do I Organize My Rat’s Nest of a Purse?

Wendi McLendon-Covey isn’t just a comedian and performer. As we discovered in her What I Can’t Live Without, she’s a savvy shopper, too. Now, the Goldbergs, Bridesmaids, and Reno 911! actress is also a Strategist columnist, tackling your burning questions about what to buy and where to buy it. Welcome to Dear Wendi Mc-C.

Do you have a question for Wendi? Leave a comment or email us at strategist@nymag.com.

Dear Wendi Mc-C,

Despite my best efforts, my purse is a rat’s nest, and I live in fear of losing small things, like my keys and AirPods, in the mess. Any suggestions to help keep my bag organized?

Yours,Overwhelmed

Dear Overwhelmed,

In the movie Amélie, Amélie’s mother was so fastidious that she dumped out her purse once a week, vacuumed it, and put everything back in an orderly fashion. That’s me.

I can’t stand having a messy purse, and it makes me anxious to watch other people dig through their messy purses (especially if it’s an expensive designer bag! Don’t treat your Chanel like a trash can).

Here’s what I do — I’ll dump everything out and literally use a tiny vacuum cleaner inside my purse and my makeup bag. The Ushonk I found was made for computer keyboards, but it works perfectly for my weekly purse-cleaning ritual in a way that other vacuum cleaners are a bit too cumbersome to. Ushonk makes a USB-chargeable version, too, if you prefer.

As for storage, get yourself to Target right now and pick up a few makeup bags from Sonia Kashuk. They come in different colors, shapes, and materials, and are useful for so much more than just makeup.

Sonia Kashuk 2pc Makeup Organizer Set

$15, Target

These flatter, foliolike ones are good for iPads or Kindles, and even passports when you’re traveling.

And I love the clear bags for makeup, so I find what I need quickly. This one comes with refillable bottles that are perfectly sized for TSA requirements, but there are clear bags for all kinds of other purposes, too. Your purse shouldn’t stress you out, so conquer the clutter, and conquer your LIFE.